Middle School Management of Curriculum Guide - 2022-2023 Mr. Richard E. Dennis Superintendent Mrs. Ayena Jackson Director of Middle School Education
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2022-2023
Middle School
Management of Curriculum
Guide
Mr. Richard E. Dennis
Superintendent
Mrs. Ayena Jackson
Director of Middle School Education
1Contents
2022-2023 OVERVIEW ................................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
ACADEMIC GUIDELINES ........................................................................................................................................ 6
ATTENDANCE AND ACADEMIC DAYS (AA DAYS) ....................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
CHECKPOINTS ....................................................................................................................................................... 6
GRADEBOOKS/GRADING.................................................................................................................................... 7
TESTING DAYS ...................................................................................................................................................... 8
GRADING/ASSIGNMENTS FOR ECAP ASSIGNMENTS .................................................................................. 9
GRADING REQUIREMENTS/CATEGORIES ...................................................................................................... 9
GRADING SCALE .................................................................................................................................................. 9
PROGRESS REPORTS/REPORT CARDS ........................................................................................................... 10
PROMOTION and RETENTION .......................................................................................................................... 11
RENAISSANCE LEARNING ............................................................................................................................... 12
STANDARDS RECOVERY .................................................................................................................................. 14
TEACHING/LEARNING PLATFORMS .............................................................................................................. 14
TESTING PROCEDURES ..................................................................................................................................... 14
ACADEMIC HONESTY ........................................................................................................................................... 15
CHEATING ............................................................................................................................................................ 15
PLAGIARISM ........................................................................................................................................................ 15
ALABAMA CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT PLAN (ACIP) ............................................................................... 15
ALABAMA COURSE OF STUDY (ALCOS): COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS STANDARDS (CCRS)
.................................................................................................................................................................................... 16
CORE COURSES OF STUDY AND CONTENT FRAMEWORKS ........................................................................ 16
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ............................................................................................................................. 17
MATHEMATICS ................................................................................................................................................... 21
SCIENCE ................................................................................................................................................................ 23
SOCIAL STUDIES ................................................................................................................................................ 25
ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE ..................................................................................................................................... 27
ATTENDANCE ......................................................................................................................................................... 28
AUDIO-VISUAL MATERIALS ................................................................................................................................ 30
Request for Approval of Audio-Visual Materials Form ......................................................................................... 31
CLASSROOM – REQUIRED POSTED ITEMS ....................................................................................................... 32
CONFERENCES ........................................................................................................................................................ 32
DYSLEXIA INFORMATION ................................................................................................................................... 32
ENGLISH LEARNERS (EL) FOR GRADES 5-8 ..................................................................................................... 33
EL ACCOMMODATIONS .................................................................................................................................... 33
GRADING PROCEDURES FOR EL STUDENTS ............................................................................................... 33
2GUIDELINES FOR GRADING ELs/LEP Students .............................................................................................. 33
ENROLLMENT GUIDELINES................................................................................................................................. 35
FIELD TRIPS ............................................................................................................................................................. 36
FIELD TRIP ACTIVITY FORM ........................................................................................................................... 38
RELEASE OF LIABILITY FOR FIELD TRIP PARTICIPATION ...................................................................... 39
HOMEWORK ............................................................................................................................................................ 40
HONOR ROLL ........................................................................................................................................................... 40
POWERSCHOOL PARENT PORTAL ..................................................................................................................... 43
LESSON PLANS ........................................................................................................................................................ 40
LIBRARY PROGRAM .............................................................................................................................................. 41
MAKE-UP WORK ..................................................................................................................................................... 42
OBSERVATIONS AND CLASSROOM EVALUATIONS ...................................................................................... 42
PHYSICAL EDUCATION......................................................................................................................................... 42
RESPONSE TO INSTRUCTION (RtI)/PROBLEM-SOLVING TEAM (PST) ........................................................ 43
SCIENCE FAIR.......................................................................................................................................................... 44
SPECIAL EDUCATION/GRADING PROCEDURES ............................................................................................. 44
SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES AND SECTION 504 REQUIREMENTS ...................................................... 44
RECORDING OF IEP and SECTION 504 MEETINGS ........................................................................................... 45
SPELLING BEE ......................................................................................................................................................... 46
STATE ASSESSMENTS ........................................................................................................................................... 46
SUPERVISION OF STUDENTS ............................................................................................................................... 46
VIRTUAL SCHOOL: EDGE ..................................................................................................................................... 46
WEEKLY PAPERS .................................................................................................................................................... 46
32022-2023
QUARTER 1
Aug. 1-5 Aug. 1-5 Professional Development/Workdays
Aug. 8-Quarter 1 begins
Aug. 8-12 Aug. 9-Universal Screener Window opens for STAR360 Reading/Math
Aug. 15-19 Aug. 19-Universal Screener Window closes for STAR360 Reading/Math
Aug. 22-26
Aug. 29-Sept 2
Sept. 5-9 Sept. 5-Labor Day (Holiday)
Progress Reports (this week)
Sept. 12-16
Sept. 19-23
Sept. 26-30 Sept. 26- Checkpoint #1 (all subjects) window opens
Oct. 7- Checkpoint #1(all subjects) window closes
Oct. 3-7
Oct. 7-Quarter 1 ends
Quarter 1 44 Total Instructional Days
QUARTER 2
Oct. 10-11-Fall Break-Students and Staff
Oct. 10-14
Oct. 12-Quarter 2 Begins
Oct. 17-21 Oct. 20-Report Cards
Oct. 24-28
Oct. 31-Nov. 4
Nov. 11-Veterans Day (Holiday)
Nov. 7-11
Progress Reports (this week)
Nov. 14-18
Nov. 21-25 Thanksgiving Holidays
Nov. 28-Dec. 2
Dec. 5-9 Dec. 5- Checkpoint #2 (all subjects) window opens
Dec. 12-16 Dec. 15- Checkpoint #2 (all subjects) window closes
Dec. 16-Quarter 2 ends
Dec. 19– Dec. 30-Christmas Holidays
Quarter 2 42 Total Instructional Days
Semester 1 86 Total Instructional Days
4QUARTER 3
Jan. 2-Professional Development Day
Jan. 2-6 Jan. 3-Professional Development Day
Jan. 4-Quarter 3 begins
Jan. 5- Universal Screener Window opens for STAR360 Reading/Math
Jan. 12-Report Cards
Jan. 9-13 Jan. 13- Universal Screener Window closes for STAR360 Reading/Math
Jan. 16-20 Jan. 16-MLK Birthday (Holiday)
Jan. 23-27 Jan. 25-Professional Development Day
Jan. 30-Feb. 3
Feb. 6-10 Progress Reports (this week)
Feb. 13-17 Feb. 13-ACCESS for ELLs (online and alternate) window opens (closes Mar. 10)
Feb. 20-24 Feb. 20- Professional Development Day/E-Learning Day
Feb. 27-Mar. 3 Feb. 27- Checkpoint #3 (all subjects) window opens
Mar. 1-ACAP Alternate window opens (closes Apr. 7)
Mar. 10- Checkpoint #3 (all subjects) window closes
Mar. 6-10 Mar. 10-Quarter 3 ends
Mar. 10-ACCESS for ELLS (online and alternate) window closes (opened Feb. 13)
Quarter 3 46 Total Instructional Days
QUARTER 4
Mar. 13-17 Mar. 13-Quarter 4 begins
Mar. 16-Report Cards Go Home
Mar. 20-24 Spring Break
Mar. 27-31
Apr. 3-ACAP Summative window opens (closes Apr. 14)
(Grades 5-8-ELA w/Writing, Grades 5-8-Math, Grades 6 & 8-Science)
Apr. 3-7 Apr. 7-ACAP Alternate window closes (opened Mar. 1)
Apr. 7- Good Friday Holiday
Apr. 10-14 Apr. 14- ACAP Summative window closes (opened Apr. 3)
Progress Reports (this week)
Apr. 17-21
Apr. 24-28 April 24-Universal Screener Window opens for STAR360 Reading/Math
April 28- Universal Screener Window closes for STAR 360 Reading/Math
May 1-5
May 8-12 May 8- Checkpoint #4(all subjects) window opens
May 15-19 May 19- Checkpoint #4 (all subjects) window closes
May-23 Last Day for Students
May 22-26 May-23-Quarter 4 ends
May-23 Report Cards
May 24-Teacher Workday
Quarter 4 46 Total Instructional Days
Semester 2 92 Total Instructional Days
SY 2022-2023 178 Total Instructional Days
5ACADEMIC GUIDELINES
CHECKPOINTS
Checkpoints are rigorous common teacher-created tests. They include a variety of question types, online
testing tools, and DOK levels that would prepare our students for the ACAP. Immediate feedback will be
provided to teachers and administrators about students’ mastery of standards. Checkpoints will be
administered through Edulastic to every student once per quarter in ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies
as follows:
Quarter 1-Checkpoint 1
Quarter 2-Checkpoint 2
Quarter 3-Checkpoint 3
Quarter 4-Checkpoint 4
Each school will determine specific testing dates for Checkpoints, based on the chart below:
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
English Math English Math English
Science Social Studies Science Social Studies Math
Special Education students should complete the original assessment in Edulastic. In order to ensure accurate
and inclusive data, tests in Edulastic should never be cloned or edited. Any accommodations should be made
on paper and students should enter answers in Edulastic.
6GRADEBOOKS/GRADING
• Teachers are required to maintain a computer grade book using the county-adopted software, PowerSchool.
• Three to five (3-5) TEST grades and eight to twelve (8-12) DAILY grades must be given each quarter.
• Tests must be categorized as 50% of the student’s grade. (Career Prep A-60% for tests)
• Daily grades must be categorized as 50% of the student’s grade. (Career Prep A-40% for daily grades)
• Teachers must enter grades at least once per week and within 3 days of graded assignments/tests.
• Teachers must have at least 4 daily grades and 1 test grade entered in PowerSchool when mid-term
progress reports are sent home.
• Grade audits may be performed periodically at the discretion of the principal or county office.
• Teachers MUST identify the standard assessed and date administered for every assignment. Standard
reports will be used for standards recovery and RtI.
• Only board employees, student interns under the supervision of their cooperating teacher, and long-term
substitutes may use PowerSchool.
• Teachers will follow established policy regarding student confidentiality and should provide parents with
grades for their child only.
• All grades entered in PowerSchool should accurately match grades recorded on student papers,
rubrics, or spreadsheets.
• Teachers should enter a “0” in PowerSchool for assignments not completed. Once the assignment
has been completed, the teacher will update the grade in the PowerSchool grading system.
• Grades must be based upon academic mastery. No grades may be given for school supplies, canned
goods, signed forms, signed papers, etc. Note: This list is not exhaustive.
• No extra credit may be assigned or given. Therefore, the gradebook should not have any red cells.
• Assessments measuring student mastery of Alabama Course of Study Standards will be given to all
students.
• Open-book tests are not permitted. Students must master course content to be successful on
accountability assessments.
• Scores may not be scaled, dropped, combined with any other grades, or artificially inflated with
classwork, homework, or extra credit activities.
• Grades obtained from computer programs, Smart Response Systems (or the like), rubrics, or means
other than students’ papers will be documented by the teacher and kept on file.
• If study guides are necessary, an outline form must be used. No fill-in-the-blank questions may be
used that replicates the test.
• Minimum of 10 items or 8-10 multiple-step items are required on all tests and daily assignments, with the
exception of Edgenuity. Grades cannot exceed 100%.
• Long-term projects, research papers, reading activities, journals, and other extended graded activities will
not be assigned during dates set as holidays. It is expected and imperative that all students have access to
their teacher’s guidance and assistance to complete major assignments. This includes Advanced Placement,
honors/advanced courses, and standard courses.
• At the beginning of the course, teachers will provide students and parents with a hard copy of the course
syllabus. This syllabus will also be posted on the teacher website. Each syllabus should contain, at a
minimum:
o course content
o course requirements
o grading system being used: points or average
o test days
7• In addition to tests, which measure student mastery of standards, the quarter grade may include the
following:
o homework (1 cumulative grade)
o daily grades
o quizzes
o writing assessments
o projects
o presentations
o group activities, etc.
• Physical Education Grading
o All students in grades 5-8 will receive a numerical grade for PE based on the following:
▪ 45%- Dress Dressed/Prepared for active participation i.e.
▪ 45%- Participation Actively Participates
▪ 10%- Tests Assessments
• The following schedule allows for tests, specifically Checkpoints, to be given on specified days to prevent
students from having excessive tests on one day. This schedule may be modified with principal approval.
TESTING DAYS
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
English Math English Math English
Science Social Studies Science Social Studies Math
Electives Electives
• Answer documents, rubrics, and assignments counted as grades may be sent home for parental
inspection but must be returned and filed for documentation. At any point, parents may make an
appointment to view their child’s work upon request.
o For documentation purposes to validate grades, all student papers should be retained for one
academic year, as directed by the State Records Commission/Local Government Records
Commission. (Local Boards of Education Functional Analysis & Records Disposition Authority,
April 23, 2014, p. 36.) (For example, the 2019-2020 school year documentation must be
retained until the end of the first quarter for the 2022-2023 school year.)
o To ensure student privacy, all documentation, including, but not limited to, rubrics, test papers
and answer documents, must be filed in individual student folders.
o Student papers may be taken temporarily from the school to be graded. However, all student
work must be retained by Elmore County Public Schools and may not be filed or stored off the
premises. At the conclusion of employment or transfer of a teacher or employee, student files
must be retained at the school.
o Students, student volunteers, student workers, or parent volunteers may not file and/or return
graded papers to students that have been recorded. According to FERPA (Family Educational
Rights and Privacy Act), papers that are received and recorded by the instructor become
“education records.”
▪ Peer-grading used as an instructional method is not included in this regulation. As
stated in Owasso Indep. Sch. Dist. No. I-011 v. Falvo, 534 U.S. 426 (2002) even
though peer- grading results in students finding out each other’s grades, the U.S.
Supreme Court ruled, …that this practice does not violate FERPA because grades on
students’ papers are not “maintained” under the definition of “education records” and,
therefore, would not be covered under FERPA at least until the teacher has collected
and recorded them in the teacher’s grade book…
http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/pdf/ht12-17-08-att.pdf
8GRADING/ASSIGNMENTS FOR ECAP ASSIGNMENTS
Students assigned to ECAP will complete their course work using Edgenuity. Assignments will be selected specifically
for ECAP so that the program can best meet the instructional needs of the students and adequately align to the
coursework in the regular classroom. Teachers will be provided with a handout detailing the classes to use and the
process.
GRADING REQUIREMENTS/CATEGORIES
Grading Requirements/Categories for Grades 5-8
Career Prep A All other Middle School Courses
60% Test (3-5 grades) 50% Test (3-5 grades)
40% Daily (8-12 grades) 50% Daily (8-12 grades)
GRADING SCALE
A 100 – 90
B 89 – 80
C 79 – 70
D 69 – 60
F 59 & below
9PROGRESS REPORTS/REPORT CARDS
• All students will receive a progress report generated by the school office four times per school year. The dates
for progress reports for the 2022-2023 school year are as follows:
Progress Reports*
Week of September 5, 2022
Week of November 7, 2022
Week of February 6, 2023
Week of April 17, 2023
* Dates are subject to change.
• Parents are encouraged to utilize the PowerSchool Parent Portal to monitor their child’s progress with
greater frequency.
• Parents may request in writing or by telephone a detailed weekly progress report showing all graded
assignments. The school office will notify the teacher that such a report has been requested and then
provide weekly a Comprehensive Progress Report for the student. The requested progress report should be
signed by the parent or guardian and returned to the teacher. REMINDER: A signed, returned progress
report may not be used as a grade.
• The PowerSchool Parent Portal is a program that allows parents to review information related to grades,
attendance, homework assignments, discipline records and other student data from the current year. Any
information recorded in PowerSchool is immediately available for parent viewing through parent portal.
• Student report cards will be generated by each school using PowerSchool software and issued to all
students after the end of each grading period. The dates for report cards for the 2021-2022 school year are:
Report Cards*
October 20, 2022
January 12, 2023
March 16, 2023
May 23, 2023
*Dates are subject to change.
10PROMOTION and RETENTION
The definitions for promotion, retention, and placement for K-8 students are as follows:
Promotion: the assignment of a student to a higher grade level based on the student’s achievement
of established criteria in the current grade.
Retention: the re-assignment of a student to the current grade level during the next school year. A
student may not be retained more than once in grades K – 8th. Any student who is retained must
have individualized, intensive interventions which shall be progress monitored on a continual basis
during the next school year.
Placement: In grades k-4, regarding the Alabama Literacy Act, the assignment of a student to a
specific grade level based on the determination that such placement will most likely provide the
student with instruction and other services needed to succeed and progress to the next higher level
of academic achievement. Any student who is placed in the next grade must have individualized,
intensive interventions which shall be progress monitored on a continual basis during the next
school year.
GUIDELINES
Introduction
It is expected that with the appropriate instruction, motivation, and attendance most students will be able to
achieve at a satisfactory level that will prepare them for instruction at the next grade. A variety of teaching
strategies will be used at each grade level to increase the probability of students achieving a level of
academic mastery that will enable them to benefit from instruction at the next grade level.
Grades 5-8
• Notification of possible retention must be identified on the 3rd quarter progress report.
• If parents fail to make contact with the school, a follow-up letter will be sent home by the teacher requesting
a conference. If parents do not respond to the follow-up letter, the teacher should contact parents by phone.
• Any 5-8 student who is retained must have a personalized learning plan with specific, tiered intervention
strategies in place with the next teacher(s). These interventions must be monitored accordingly. The
personalized learning plan, along with the applied classroom interventions must be communicated to the legal
parent/guardian, and any teacher meetings about student progress in the tiered interventions must include the
legal parent/guardian.
• Fifth through Eighth Grade: Minimum acceptable average for promotion is 60%.
• Recommendation from the teachers will be presented to the Promotion/Retention Committee, which is made
up of the Problem-Solving Team (PST). The committee makes the final decision to promote or to retain a
student.
• In grades 7 and 8, a student must pass each academic subject and physical education to
take the next grade level course in each subject area. For example, if a 7th grade student
fails science, he/she will be promoted to 8th grade but will take a 7th grade science class if
not successfully completed in summer school.
o Passing will be based on the yearly average.
o Summer school may be available, or the course will be repeated the next year.
• A student will be classified a seventh grader if taking four or more seventh grade level
courses.
• A student will be classified an eighth grader if taking four or more eighth grade courses.
11• A student will be classified as a ninth grader if taking four or more ninth grade courses.
• It is strongly recommended that students attend summer school to make up failed courses.
RENAISSANCE LEARNING
STAR360 Grades 5 - 8
STAR360 Reading and Mathematics will be given as a Universal Screener at the designated
time. STAR360 Reading and Mathematics should be used outside the Universal Screener
window for progress monitoring. STAR360 reports should be used as a part of Data Meetings.
Teachers will be required to review, monitor, and use STAR360 data to help drive instruction.
Accelerated Reader (AR)
• Teachers will be required to set goals in the computer for each student every quarter. Students
taking AR quizzes will maintain a reading log.
• Point goals will be set for students according to the results of STAR360 and at the
discretion of the teacher based upon the reading needs of the students.
AR Practice Procedures 5-6
• AR Goals – Not a “One Size Fits All”, rather, individual goals should be set each quarter.
• Percent goals will be set between 85% - 90%. Averages will be rounded; i.e. 85.5% = 86%
• Individual quarterly goals should be set at 30 minutes daily practice for 7 weeks
each quarter.
• Students will not receive AR grades.
• Awards for AR Participation should be established at the beginning of the school year
and communicated to students and parents/guardians. (SITE-BASED DECISION)
• Students’ Record Reports may be sent home with the report card each quarter.
Parents may access this information through Home Connect. Teachers will provide
parents with access to this information. See librarian for forms and if you have any
questions.
• Teachers may be required to submit a Diagnostic Report to the principal as needed.
Incorporating AR in the Classroom
• AR will not be a separate part of the reading program.
• AR may be incorporated in small group instruction as a center. Status of the class
may be completed at the small group table in reading prior to small group
instruction.
• AR can also be utilized as students finish assignments.
• Minimize restrictions on students reading based on ZPD levels only.
• ZPD levels should include a wide range without limiting students. ZPD ranges
can be increased prior to STAR360 testing if students have shown success.
• Do not allow students to read lower level books for points only or to increase
averages for incentives.
• Encourage students to read for interest thus developing a true love for reading.
12LEXILE BANDS
These grades and Lexile bands are the basis for determining at what text complexity level students should be reading,
and at which grades, to make sure they are ultimately prepared for the reading demands of college and careers:
College & Career Ready
Grade
“Stretch” Lexile Bands
1 190L to 530L
2 420L TO 650L
3 520L TO 820L
4 740L TO 940L
5 830L TO 1010L
6 925L TO 1070L
7 970L TO 1120L
8 1010L TO 1185L
9 1050L TO 1260L
10 1080L TO 1335L
11 and 12 1185L TO 1385L
Minimum Lexile scores uses the mid-point of the stretch bands listed above as the minimum score to be considered.
Minimum Lexile scores to meet the Literacy Readiness Indicator on the ACAP and STAR 360 are in the chart below:
GRADE MINIMUM LEXILE
2 535L
3 670L
4 840L
5 920L
6 997L
7 1045L
8 1097L
9 1155L
10-12 1285L
note: the minimum levels for 3rd-8th may be slightly adjusted once ACAP scores are tabulated in 2021.
13STANDARDS RECOVERY
The Elmore County Public School Standards Recovery Policy is based on the philosophy that grades should reflect
student mastery of content standards and that individual students learn at different rates and in different ways.
Teachers provide multiple opportunities to practice and to demonstrate learning with the belief that all students
will meet or exceed standards. Below are our guidelines:
• Students will be given multiple opportunities to demonstrate standards mastery in each class.
• Multiple opportunities may be in the form of additional assessments given or retakes of specific
assessments. Retesting standards must be in a different but equally challenging form. The teacher
working with the student will determine which is most appropriate for a given situation.
• When a large percentage of students are unable to successfully demonstrate mastery of content
standards, the teacher will need to provide opportunities for reteaching and retesting for all those
students.
• For individual students and/or small groups of students who did not demonstrate mastery of content
standards, teachers may use Edgenuity with those students to provide reteaching and retesting of non-
mastered standards.
TEACHING/LEARNING PLATFORMS
Elmore County Public Schools offer multiple platforms for optimal student learning for the 2021-2022 school year.
Edgenutiy is the online learning program for middle schools.
• Traditional Learning
o Students physically attend school and are instructed face-to-face by a certified teacher. In addition, students
will periodically utilize online learning in the classroom.
• EDGE Virtual Learning
o Students enroll in EDGE in Elmore County. Students are not attached to a school.
TESTING PROCEDURES
• All students will be taught on grade level and tested on his/her grade level.
• Formative and summative assessments measuring student mastery of standards, will be given to all
students.
o Teachers are expected to actively monitor student engagement during tests, but not to coach,
answer, or directly impact a response.
14ACADEMIC HONESTY
CHEATING
It is expected that all academic work completed by any student in the Elmore County School System will be
his/her own work. Elmore County Schools will not tolerate cheating in any form. Students will not engage in any
act of deception or falsification of work product. This includes, but is not limited to:
• Cheating by receiving unauthorized aid or assistance
• Giving or receiving an unfair advantage on any form of academic work to include use of electronic
devices(s) to text/take pictures of/convey exams and/or answer sheets
• Possessing materials that invalidate any academic course work either during or prior to the work being
assigned (test or course work).
Any student completing any academic work dishonestly will receive a zero for that assignment with no
opportunity to make it up.
Students who provide information and/or commit cheating will be disciplined in accordance with Class 1 Offense AK
(See Student Code of Conduct). The teacher will also contact the parents/guardians of the student and inform them of
the student’s actions. According to the EC Student Handbook, the policies regulating students enrolled in RAMP may
differ from those stated here. Students who enter that program are subject to the rules and regulations agreed on upon
entry.
PLAGIARISM
Teachers in all subject areas must inform and instruct students regarding plagiarism and the seriousness of the
offense. Plagiarism of any assignment is considered a form of academic dishonesty and will result in the student
receiving a zero with no opportunity to make up or redo work.
According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, to “plagiarize” means:
• to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one’s own
• to use (another’s production) without crediting the source
• to commit literary theft
• to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source
All of the following are considered plagiarism:
• copying words or ideas from someone else without giving credit
• failing to put a quotation in quotation marks
• giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation
• changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit
• copying words or ideas from a source that makes up the majority of your work, whether you give credit
or not.
ALABAMA CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT PLAN
(ACIP)
All schools in Elmore County must complete an Alabama Continuous Improvement Plan (ACIP). The ACIP
follows specific guidelines as outlined by the Alabama State Department of Education and will be composed using
Cognia, a computer software program. All information included in the ACIPs will be aligned with the Elmore
County Strategic Plan. However, schools may include additional goals addressing individual needs identified
through a variety of data sources.
15ALABAMA COURSE OF STUDY (ALCOS): COLLEGE
AND CAREER READINESS STANDARDS (CCRS)
• Teachers are mandated by the Alabama State Department of Education to teach the
Alabama Courses of Study (ALCOS): College- and Career-Ready Standards (CCRS).
• It is the responsibility of all teachers in all subject areas and grade levels to teach
their subject/grade level specific ALCOS: CCRS to mastery. Therefore, effective
lesson plans are data driven based on state requirements and assessments
should reflect taught curriculum as well.
• It is understood that these skills are critical and must be taught, assessed, and re-taught if
not mastered. Different instructional strategies and materials should be used if re-
teaching is necessary. Lessons should be engaging and interactive where students go
through learning process.
• Teachers will employ instructional best practice strategies to accommodate various
learning styles as well as students’ needs and interests. Please be reminded that
resources should never replace teacher directed and/or facilitated instruction. You
are the change agent in the classroom and everything else is a resource used to help
students with content mastery.
• We will administer two checkpoints per quarter. All answers, including the
accommodated tests, must be entered into Edulastic for district data retrieval. Data
meetings and student advisory days will include the results of each checkpoint as
well as action steps for both intervention and enrichment opportunities.
CORE COURSES OF STUDY AND CONTENT
FRAMEWORKS
The following course descriptions are derived from the Alabama Courses of Study for the core content areas and
provide a summary of the arrangement of the courses and some basic expectations for instruction and learning.
16ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
The goal of the Alabama English language arts curriculum is for all students to achieve English language literacy in
order to be college and career ready. This is accomplished through a sequential, comprehensive curriculum that
develops lifelong, critical thinkers who approach problem solving with confidence. The foundation of skills and
knowledge in the English language arts curriculum should prepare all students to function as highly skilled
communicators for personal and academic needs in middle and high school as well as at the college and career level.
The English language arts curriculum for the twenty-first century includes the following strands that prepare
students for their roles as citizens in a diverse society:
• reading literature
• reading informational text
• writing
• speaking and listening
• language
Addressing the individual learning needs of students can be accomplished by including a variety of
instructional strategies such as
• developing student-centered lessons and activities
• projects, demonstrations, and collaborative learning groups
• conducting formal and informal assessments to provide continual feedback regarding
student progress
• utilizing all available technology for both teacher and student use
Writing and editing skills are necessary in college and careers and must be refined as students develop.
• A command of formal English is demonstrated in both students’ writing and speaking.
• They must come to appreciate that language is as much a matter of craft as of rules, and be able
to choose words, syntax, and punctuation to express themselves and achieve particular functions
and rhetorical effects.
• Students must integrate multiple sources of information to make informed
decisions and solve problems. This requires that they evaluate the credibility and
accuracy of each source and note discrepancies among data.
• They must have the flexibility, concentration, and fluency to produce high-quality, first-
draft text under a tight deadline as well as the capacity to revisit and make improvements
to a piece of writing over multiple drafts when circumstances encourage or require it.
Universal Screener
STAR360 will be utilized for diagnostic purposes in reading. Screener dates will be announced and will be
common among all schools in the District.
Literacy Standards
Literacy skills are essential in the development of global learners and the development of
critical historical thinkers. To ensure this, teachers are required to incorporate Standards
for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects. This must be
documented in lesson plans and included in the overall quarterly grade.
5-8 ELA SS SC Literacy Standards Correlation.docx
17ALL SCHOOLS
GRADE 5
Curriculum
Teachers will follow the district Curriculum Framework/Pacing Guides designed to include multiple
resources, including, but not limited to E3 Curriculum, Novel-Based Teaching Guides, online resources, and
county-adopted textbooks to teach standards to mastery. Curriculum materials can be accessed in the Middle
School Google Classroom. Use this link: https://classroom.google.com/c/ODIwMjI3NjY5Nzha
Grading/Assessments
• 3-5 Test Grades (categorized as 50%)
o 1 district required Literature Checkpoint (Edulastic) per quarter
o 1 district required Informational Text Checkpoint (Edulastic) per quarter
o 1 district required writing assignment (Narrative, Informational/Explanatory, Argument,
Research) graded with the rubric provided in Google Classroom per quarter
o 1 district required Novel test (Edulastic)
• 8-12 Daily Grades (categorized as 50%)
o 1 required grammar test per quarter
o 2 required cumulative grammar warm-up grades per quarter
o 1 required vocabulary test per quarter
ELA Grading Requirements/Categories for Grades 5-8
50% Test (3-5 grades)
50% Daily (8-12 grades)
18MMS and WMS
GRADES 6-8
Curriculum
Teachers will utilize the E3 Curriculum for ELA. In addition, students are required to complete district
Checkpoints for each content area. Grading requirements are as follows:
https://classroom.google.com/c/ODIwMjI3NjY5Nzha
Grading/Assessments
• 3-5 Test Grades (categorized as 50%)
o 1 district required Literature Checkpoint (Edulastic) per quarter
o 1 district required Informational Text Checkpoint (Edulastic) per quarter
o 1 district required writing assignment (Narrative, Informational/Explanatory, Argument,
Research) per quarter graded with the rubric provided in Google Classroom
• 8-12 Daily Grades (categorized as 50%)
o 1 required grammar test per quarter
o 1 required vocabulary test per quarter
ELA Grading Requirements/Categories for Grades 5-8
50% Test (3-5 grades)
50% Daily (8-12 grades)
19EMS, HMS, RES and all others
GRADES 6-8
Curriculum
Teachers will follow the district Curriculum Framework/Pacing Guides designed to include multiple
resources, including, but not limited to E3 Curriculum, Novel-Based Teaching Guides, online resources, and
county-adopted textbooks to teach standards to mastery. Curriculum materials can be accessed in the Middle
School Google Classroom. Use this link: https://classroom.google.com/c/ODIwMjI3NjY5Nzha
Grading/Assessments
6th Grade
• 3-5 Test Grades (categorized as 50%)
o 1 district required Literature Checkpoint (Edulastic) per quarter
o 1 district required Informational Text Checkpoint (Edulastic) per quarter
o 1 district required writing assignment (Narrative, Informational/Explanatory, Argument,
Research) per quarter graded with the rubric provided in Google Classroom
o 1 district required Novel test (Edulastic) for quarters 2, 3, and 4 only
• 8-12 Daily Grades (categorized as 50%)
o 1 required grammar test per quarter
o 2 required cumulative grammar warm-up grades per quarter
o 1 required vocabulary test per quarter
7th and 8th Grades
• 3-5 Test Grades (categorized as 50%)
o 1 district required Literature Checkpoint (Edulastic) per quarter
o 1 district required Informational Text Checkpoint (Edulastic) per quarter
o 1 district required writing assignment (Narrative, Informational/Explanatory, Argument,
Research) graded with the rubric provided in Google Classroom per quarter
• 8-12 Daily Grades (categorized as 50%)
o 1 required grammar test per quarter
o 2 required cumulative grammar warm-up grades per quarter
o 1 required vocabulary test per quarter
ELA Grading Requirements/Categories for Grades 5-8
50% Test (3-5 grades)
50% Daily (8-12 grades)
20MATHEMATICS
Mathematics content is rigorous and aligned throughout the grades, thus providing students with the
necessary steps to acquire the knowledge and skills for developing a strong foundation in mathematics.
CCSS Standards for Mathematical Practice
These standards describe varieties of expertise that mathematics educators at all levels should seek to
develop in their students.
• Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them
• Reason abstractly and quantitatively
• Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others
• Model with mathematics
• Use appropriate tools strategically
• Attend to precision
• Look for and make use of structure
• Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning
NCTM principles
These principles reflect basic tenets fundamental to the design of a quality mathematics program that allows
all students the opportunity to reach their mathematical potential.
• Equity
• Curriculum
• Teaching
• Learning
• Assessment
• Technology
7-8 Domains of Study:
Content describing what students should know and be able to do for each grade or course.
• Counting and Cardinality
• Operations and Algebraic Thinking
• Number and Operations in Base Ten
• Measurement and Data
• Geometry
• Number and Operations: Fractions, Ratios and Proportional Relationships
• The Number System
• Expressions and Equations
• Statistics and Probability
• Functions
Curriculum
5th Grade
AMSTI
Teachers will follow the district Curriculum Guide that includes pacing for use with AMSTI teaching
resources and strategies. Go Math will be used as a resource to teach standards to mastery. The
Curriculum Guides and all Math resources can be found using this link:
https://classroom.google.com/c/ODIwMjI3NjY5Nzha
216th through 8th Grades
E3-(Formerly referred to as Laying the Foundation)-Math Teachers will follow the district Curriculum
Guide that includes pacing for the Laying the Foundation Curriculum. Student success begins with the
teacher. E3 provides instructional resources specifically designed to raise the level of instructional
rigor. The goal is to increase the number of students equipped to succeed in rigorous coursework, and
ultimately, college, and the workforce. E3 instructional resources are effective in changing the
teaching paradigm and instructional practice of all teachers and opening the door for more students to
engage successfully in instruction across the content areas. AMSTI resources and strategies and the
math textbook will be used as a resource to teach standards to mastery.
Universal Screener
STAR360 will be utilized for diagnostic purposes. Screener dates will be announced and will be
common among all schools in the District.
Progress Monitoring
Teachers may also use STAR360 Mathematics as a progress monitoring tool as needed.
Grading/Assessments
5th – 8th Grade
• 3-5 Test Grades (categorized as 50%)
o 2 district required Checkpoint assessments (Edulastic) per quarter
• 8-12 Daily Grades (categorized as 50%)
Other teacher made assessments can also be used as test grades, not to exceed a total of 5 test grades.
Math Grading Requirements/Categories for Grades 5-8
50% Test (3-5 grades)
50% Daily (8-12 grades)
22SCIENCE
The goal of Alabama’s K-12 science standards is the achievement of scientific and engineering literacy by all
students. A scientifically literate person possesses the following:
• A foundation in scientific knowledge
• A technological understanding of problem solving
• The ability to design scientific solutions.
Alabama’s curriculum is accomplished through a study of the three dimensions of science:
• Scientific and engineering practices - a set of skills and tools used by students to investigate,
construct models, design and build systems, and develop theories about the world in which they live.
The Scientific Method will be taught during the first week of school and science experiments and
projects are to be used to extend and enrich concepts taught.
• Crosscutting concepts - are unifying themes that link scientific and engineering ideas across
all domains of science.
• Disciplinary, core ideas - ideas in the four domains of Physical Sciences; Life Sciences; Earth
and Space Sciences; and Engineering Technology, and Applications of Science are broad
concepts that provide students with foundational knowledge.
These three dimensions can be supported utilizing the Five E+IA Instructional Model which includes the
following:
• Engage Student interest is stimulated and connections are made to prior knowledge and between past
and present experiences. Student thinking is focused on learning outcomes as they become mentally
engaged in the practices, crosscutting concepts, and core ideas of the unit or lesson.
• Explore Students investigate initial ideas and solutions in a context within which they can identify.
Using investigation, research, discourse, text, and media, students actively explore situations and build
common experiences that serve as a basis for developing an understanding of the concept within
context.
• Explain Students are provided the opportunity to collaborate, communicate, and construct meaning
from their experiences based on an analysis of the exploration. This phase emphasizes the importance
of students developing evidence-based explanations founded upon their observations and experiences
obtained through investigations. Teachers clarify understanding through definitions, labels, and
explanations for abilities, concepts, practices, and skills.
• Elaborate Students reflect upon, expand, and apply conceptual understanding of scientific concepts to
new and unfamiliar situations in order to cultivate a broader and deeper understanding of concepts
through new experiences within new contexts and situations.
• Evaluate Students are assessed on understanding of scientific concepts. Assessment provides
opportunities for teachers to evaluate understanding of concepts and practices identified in the
standards. This phase helps teachers know if students are learning for appropriate next steps to occur.
• Intervene or Accelerate When some students do not learn the first time, intervention strategies may be
implemented to further explain and elaborate upon concepts to a greater extent to clarify understanding.
Students who have demonstrated proficiency may be able to enrich or accelerate learning through more
challenging, engaging, and exploratory experiences.
23Curriculum
Teachers will follow the district Curriculum Framework/Pacing Guides designed to include multiple
resources, including, but not limited to, teaching guides, online resources, and county-adopted textbooks to
teach standards to mastery. These resources can be accessed in the Middle School Google Classroom. Use
this link: https://classroom.google.com/c/ODIwMjI3NjY5Nzha
The Scientific Method and Safety should be taught the first week of school. It is expected that each Science
classroom engages in labs, projects, and Note booking or Interactive Journals. These can be completed using
various formats and must be notated in weekly lesson plans.
All graded activities entered the gradebook should include an abbreviated reference to the standard of focus.
Any virtual assignment grade should have the name of the activity as it is listed in the virtual platform.
AMSTI
Teachers will follow the district Curriculum Guide that includes pacing for use with AMSTI teaching
resources and strategies.
Literacy Standards
Literacy skills are essential in the development of global learners and the development of
critical historical thinkers. To ensure this, teachers are required to incorporate Standards
for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects. This must be
documented in lesson plans and included in the overall quarterly grade.
5-8 ELA SS SC Literacy Standards Correlation.docx
Grading/Assessments
5th – 8th Grade
• 3-5 Test Grades (categorized as 50%)
o 2 district required Checkpoints assessments (Edulastic) per quarter
• 8-12 Daily Grades (categorized as 50%)
o 1 district required Common Writing Prompt per quarter
Science Grading Requirements/Categories for Grades 5-8
50% Test (3-5 grades)
50% Daily (8-12 grades)
24SOCIAL STUDIES
To be responsible citizens in today’s world, students need to be knowledgeable about the economic,
geographic, historical, and political perspectives of the world and its people. Responsible citizens are informed
and active citizens. They are aware of and participate in various levels of civic responsibility. Mastering
standards included in the ALCOS provides all students with essential knowledge regarding economics,
geography, history, and civics and government. With this mastery, students develop an international perspective
necessary for living wisely in a world that possesses limited resources and that is characterized by cultural
diversity.
The course of study presents the academic content, concepts, and skills using the following strands:
• economics
• geography
• history
• civics
• government
• current events
Seventh and eighth grade course content incorporates the strands of economics, geography, history, and civics
and government with an emphasis on the history and geography strands. These courses emphasize the knowledge
and skills necessary for developing a geographic perspective of the world and its people and events. Geography is
a strong component of the content for these grades, as students are required to become knowledgeable about the
spatial aspects of human existence.
Students use geographic knowledge, tools, and technologies to pose and answer questions about spatial
processes and to compare human and physical patterns on Earth. Real maps and mental maps are also utilized
by students to answer geographic questions.
Effective teachers incorporate a variety of instructional techniques and assessment strategies into plans for
student learning. The classroom environment, activities, assignments, and assessments should foster the
following:
• skills for acquiring information and manipulating data
• developing and presenting policies, arguments, and stories
• constructing new knowledge
• participating in groups
• technology integration to explore historical and geographic concepts and to enable
students to compete, connect, and collaborate globally
• opportunities for authentic learning through analyzing and debating complex issues
• conducting social studies research
• participating in civic affairs
• developing historical-thinking skills
• differentiated instruction that includes student presentations, use of primary
sources, written analyses of information, collaborative group activities,
simulations, and interactions with electronic and print media.
Teachers will incorporate Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects
in the classroom instruction to include writing. This must be documented in lesson plans and writing
assignments must be included as part of the overall quarterly average.
5-8 ELA SS SC Literacy Standards Correlation.docx
25Curriculum
Teachers will follow the district Curriculum Pacing Guides and other resources located in Middle School Google
Classroom. Use this link: https://classroom.google.com/c/ODIwMjI3NjY5Nzha
Additional resources may be found in Alabama Insight at alex.state.al.us.
• Teachers will incorporate Literacy Standards in classroom instruction. This must
be documented in lesson plans.
• Components of the Strategic Teaching Format should be in lessons throughout the
course. For example, TWIRL (Talking, Writing, Investigating, Reading, and Listening).
• Vocabulary should not be taught in isolation, but it should be taught in context, and
demonstrated through student writing and drawings. Students should not look up
academic vocabulary words in the glossary or dictionary as a seatwork activity.
• Students will keep notes in a notebook for Social Studies which may be used as a tool
for study guides. This notebook could include graphic organizers, diagrams, outlines,
etc.
• Study sheets or guides should be relevant to the standards that are being taught in
each quarter; however, study guides should not be organized to mimic the
assessment.
Grading/Assessments
5th-8th Grades
• 3-5 Test Grades (categorized as 50%)
o 2 district required Checkpoints assessments (Edulastic) per quarter
• 8-12 Daily Grades (categorized as 50%)
o 1 County Writing Assignment
SOCIAL STUDIES Grading Requirements/Categories for Grades 5-8
50% Test (3-5 grades)
50% Daily (8-12 grades)
26ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE
2022-2023
MIDDLE SCHOOLS
TESTS GRADES/SUBJECTS TESTING
WINDOW
STAR360 5 - 8 READING & MATH AUG 9-19, 2022
STAR360 5 - 8 READING & MATH JAN 5-13, 2023
STAR360 5 - 8 READING & MATH APR 24-28, 2023
A
FEB 13-MAR 10, 2023
ACCESS for ELLs (Online)
FEB 13-MAR 10, 2023
Alternate ACCESS for ELLs
NAEP TBD
(Selected schools & grades only)
ACAP SUMMATIVE APR 3-14, 2022
(refer to the Alabama Student Assessment
Decision Chart) GRADES SUBJECTS
5TH - 8TH ELA & MATH
6TH & 8TH SCIENCE
*ELA includes Language, Reading, and Writing
for grades 5 - 8
ACAP ALTERNATE MAR 1 - APR 7, 2023
(refer to the Alabama Student Assessment
Decision Chart) GRADES SUBJECTS
5TH-8TH ELA & MATH
6TH, 8TH SCIENCE
*ELA includes Language, Reading, and Writing
for grades 5 - 8
27ATTENDANCE
For our students who attend the Elmore County Virtual School, the EDGE virtual attendance policy will apply. EDGE
virtual attendance is measured in the following manner:
• Each student in the Elmore County Virtual School (EDGE) will be assigned an advisor.
• Advisors will monitor student progress in Edgenuity daily via software dashboards, reports, assignments, and
assessments.
• Advisors will monitor student usage weekly to monitor attendance (each Monday) in Edgenuity via dashboard
and reports.
• Students are not allowed to fall below 15% progress or have a grade below 60%.
In cases in which students are off-pace, the principal and/or administrative staff, as well as attendance officer will
intervene consistent with the schedule presented in Table 1.
Table 1: Elmore County Virtual School (EDGE) Intervention Schedule
Percentage off-pace in the Student Intervention
course
15% When the student is fifteen (15%) percent behind in the course or have a
grade below 60%, advisors will make contact with the student and/or
guardian(s).
If progress is not corrected, student is required to report to tutoring via
Zoom or directly at the center with a certified teacher.
If student fails to report to tutoring, progress has not improved, or contact
cannot be made by the advisor, a supervisor will attempt contact with
student and guardian(s) and possibly report the student to the Elmore
County Truancy Officer.
If the student continues to not meet the required criteria, students will be
released from the Elmore County Virtual Program to the base school and
will no longer be considered for the Edge Virtual Program.
BLENDED ATTENDANCE
Our blended attendance is a combination of both, traditional attendance and virtual attendance. Blended attendance is
measured through the completion of lessons/assignments consistent with the student’s customized learning plan and
developed for students in every course that includes the target dates for each assignment.
• Prior permission must be granted for trips, special events, non-school related extracurricular activities, etc.
• Doctor’s notes are required for illnesses upon return to school.
• Attendance clerk will be responsible for properly documenting attendance.
• Teacher will assign lessons through the virtual platform, Edgenutiy.
• Students are required to complete all assignments for the assigned day with a minimum score of 60% to be
considered present and in attendance.
• Simply logging into the virtual platforms, Edgenuity is not considered attending for purposes of Alabama’s
Compulsory School Attendance Law.
• Progress will be monitored weekly for students out more than 5 school days.
• All assignments must be completed within 3 days after returning back to school.
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